“I choose Yan Huashu!” Jin Hongwei declared.
The crowd was slightly surprised. In the end, Jin Hongwei still chose Yan Huashu.
However, it was still within the three they had expected.
Upon hearing this, Yan Huashu also secretly breathed a sigh of relief and happily stepped onto the platform.
He did not want anyone to choose him either, which would allow him to advance directly.
But as everyone had said, among the ten present, he was one of the weakest three. He might not be dead last, but he was close. It was highly unlikely that both challengers would avoid choosing him.
Since Jin Hongwei had chosen him, that seventh-grade high-level Spirit Controller Situ Kongchen no longer had the chance to pick him.
Jin Hongwei’s strength was not weak, but there was still hope of victory against him. If Situ Kongchen had chosen him instead, he would have had no hope at all.
Therefore, he much preferred Jin Hongwei to select him. Now, his wish had come true.
Immediately, Jin Hongwei and Yan Huashu both stepped onto the battle platform.
“Chi!” Under everyone’s gaze, Yan Huashu summoned her main spirit. A rock-like spirit form appeared, with three or four tenths solidification, and blasted towards Jin Hongwei.
This rock spirit form had nothing particularly special apart from its stone-like quality.
Yet Jin Hongwei’s expression was wary. He did not slack off at all and unleashed his strongest main spirit attack as well.
Because he knew that Yan Huashu’s seemingly ordinary attacks had swept many Spirit Controllers out of the competition. As one of the pending promotion candidates, her strength absolutely could not be underestimated.
“Boom!”
After the two spirit forms collided, Jin Hongwei’s spirit beast main spirit did not completely dissipate. It still carried immense power, accompanied by rolling waves, and surged towards Yan Huashu.
In that instant, the crowd was shocked. Jin Hongwei, who had emerged from the second wave of screening, truly possessed formidable strength. One strike had crushed Yan Huashu’s strongest attack.
It seemed that in this match, Yan Huashu was about to lose.
At that very moment, Yan Huashu’s brows furrowed. Almost simultaneously, a special pill popped out from her hand, and spiritual power was instantly poured into it.
“Boom!”
Just as Jin Hongwei’s spirit beast main spirit rushed in front of Yan Huashu, a vast surge of flame energy suddenly erupted from that exploding pill. It transformed into an energy torrent that blocked the spirit beast main spirit head-on, shattering it into pieces. The resulting vast waves scattered to both sides.
The flame energy released by the pill continued forward like a great river, surging relentlessly. The rolling waves that had been advancing were instead pushed back by the flame torrent.
“What?”
Jin Hongwei’s expression changed drastically. He hurriedly summoned a spiritual power barrier in front to block it.
However, that spiritual power barrier could not hold at all and collapsed instantly.
The flame torrent also dispersed, turning into overwhelming waves that instantly blasted Jin Hongwei off the battle platform.
Jin Hongwei vomited a large amount of blood. A scorched smell spread across his body.
“Energy pill! Yan Huashu actually possesses an energy pill!”
“My god, this fellow still had such a powerful trump card?”
“Energy pills possess abilities similar to energy weapons and spiritual energy. He can actually refine this kind of pill. Just what is Yan Huashu’s background?”
…
The crowd erupted in exclamations.
Energy pills were also a type of attack pill. Activated by spiritual power, they could unleash corresponding energy. They were no less powerful than Spirit Form Elixirs or Exploding Elixirs. They were likewise rare and extremely difficult to refine. Countless Spirit Controllers longed for them in vain.
No one had expected Yan Huashu to possess such a pill.
“This fellow really is not simple at all!” Even Lin Xiao could not help but exclaim in admiration.
Even in the memories of the Devouring Heaven Spirit Emperor, energy pills were not numerous.
Moreover, the ingredients for them were so rare that even if Spirit Pool Island searched with all its might, they still could not gather them all. For Yan Huashu to have such a grand move, his origins must certainly be extraordinary.
Either he had an extraordinary background, or he possessed heaven-defying fortune. Otherwise, it would be impossible for him to have the formula and still manage to obtain the ingredients for energy pills.
Even the Spirit Controllers from Spirit Pool Island and the Tantai family present were moved by it.
Energy pills were regarded as a substitute for spiritual energy in attack pills. The higher the grade, the greater the power. Possessing pills of one’s own grade could significantly boost combat strength.
The moment Yan Huashu revealed her energy pill, no one dared underestimate her anymore. Moreover, that pill had been refined when she was still at seventh-grade initial-level spiritual power. If refined now with her seventh-grade mid-level spiritual power, the power would be even more terrifying.
And no one knew how many more energy pills Yan Huashu still had in her possession.
“Yan Huashu wins and advances directly. Jin Hongwei is eliminated. Next, Situ Kongchen challenges.” At this moment, the referee’s voice rang out.
Jin Hongwei’s face was filled with dejection. The top-ten ranking had slipped through his fingers.
However, losing to Yan Huashu, he accepted it wholeheartedly. If not for his earlier main spirit attack and his defence reducing a large portion of the energy, he might have been burned to death by now.
If anyone was to blame, it was himself for choosing the wrong opponent.
At this point, Situ Kongchen stepped forward. The crowd grew expectant once again, and gazes turned towards Lin Xiao.
Since Yan Huashu had been chosen, surely he would choose Mu Haoran now?
Lin Xiao also furrowed his brows slightly. Situ Kongchen was a seventh-grade high-level Spirit Controller. If he chose him, there would likely be considerable trouble.
In the end, Situ Kongchen shifted his gaze away from Lin Xiao and looked towards Lei Dechang. He said, “I choose Lei Dechang!”
Lei Dechang’s expression changed immediately. His brows furrowed deeply.
He could not understand why Situ Kongchen had chosen him instead of Mu Haoran.
Filled with anger, Lei Dechang charged onto the battle platform.
The crowd was also somewhat surprised. In the end, they attributed Situ Kongchen’s decision not to choose Mu Haoran to the fact that both were fighting on behalf of Spirit Pool Island.
“What a pity. He did not choose Mu Haoran, allowing Mu Haoran to enter the top ten.”
“The number one genius of the nine provinces, top ten in the Continental Spirit Controller Grand Competition. That title is truly extraordinary.”
“No matter what, Mu Haoran’s fame is going to resound across the entire continent now.”
…
The crowd sighed and lamented.
Lin Xiao also secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Entering the top ten was a huge difference compared to the top thirty. Even if he could not secure a higher ranking, it was still good.
With Tantai Wenjun present, perhaps he could employ some strategies later.
At this moment, Situ Kongchen stepped onto the platform and clashed with Lei Dechang.
It had to be said that Lei Dechang’s combat power was also very strong. He held on for quite a while before finally losing to Situ Kongchen.
“The top ten spots in the Continental Spirit Controller Grand Competition have been decided: Mu Haoran, Murong Dian, Yan Huashu, Zhu Dingshan, Lu Mo Han, Situ Kongchen, Duanmu Changming, Su Dongfeng, Tantai Wenjun, Hou Zixiao.”
Ximen Haoyue’s voice rang out once again. “Now, we proceed to the sixth round of the competition.”
“The ten will be divided into two groups. Each person fights three matches. The top two in each group advance to pending semi-final spots. The third in each group gets one chance to challenge any of the top two in the other group. Finally, the two who lose in challenges or being challenged will compete to determine fifth place.”
“This time, the two groups will take turns. They will not proceed simultaneously.”
This arrangement pleased the crowd. The top-ten battles would surely be exciting regardless of the group. If both groups fought at the same time, they would not be able to watch everything.
With groups taking turns, they could focus on every single match.
Moreover, with intervals in between, the participating Spirit Controllers could take time to adjust and perform even better.
“Your island, besides having bidirectional defensive arrays around each battle platform, also has a grand array surrounding the entire island. In this round of competition, apart from your group occupying one battle platform to watch, all other battle platforms and their surroundings are the battlefield.”
Ximen Haoyue continued. “In other words, your battles can move freely between any battle platform inside or outside, as long as you do not leave the island, it does not count as a loss. You may use any pills between the various battle platforms.”
These words caused the crowd to boil with excitement once again.
With the battle area expanded, the fights would become even more thrilling, and far more tactics could be employed.
If previously someone hesitated to use an Exploding Elixir for fear of harming themselves, in this round they could fully unleash it. They could detonate it on one platform and retreat to another to avoid self-damage.
Alternatively, they could attack from outside a platform and hide inside one when counterattacked.
Lin Xiao’s heart also filled with joy. This way, his Exploding Elixirs would be much easier to use.
“Now, the ten will draw lots to determine groups.” Ximen Haoyue said.
At this moment, inside the island, one referee remained on duty while the others flew to positions surrounding the island from above. The resident referee called the ten into battle platform number one.
In other words, battle platform number one was where they would watch the others fight. Apart from battle platform number one, everything inside and outside the other platforms was the battlefield.
If someone entered battle platform number one or was blasted out of the island’s array barrier, they would lose.
The group all summoned bamboo sticks to fly close, then tore them open.
Lin Xiao also curiously tore open his bamboo stick with great interest. Although everyone in this group was an absolute powerhouse, which group one drew was still crucially important.
“This time, I actually hope to be in the same group as you.”
At this moment, after looking at her bamboo stick, Yan Huashu smiled towards Lin Xiao. “I am in group one. What about you?”
